Hot new London bar openings: November

Oriole

Rosie and Edmund Weil, founders of the Nightjar in Shoreditch, have opened a new bar in Smithfield Market serving cocktails inspired by the Old World, New World and the Orient. Named Oriole after a brightly coloured bird with impressive burnt orange plumage found across Africa, Europe, Asia and Australia, the bar boasts exotic “tiki chic” interiors and aims to transport guests back to a bygone era via masks from the Congo, bronze sculptures from the Amazon and live blues bands.

The menu is split into the Old World, New World and The Orient and features cocktails inspired by the flavours and drinking habits found in each. Among the cocktails on offer is the sunshine yellow Kiruna, named after a Swedish town in Lapland where golden cloudberries grow, blending Absolute Elyx with Aquavit mead, root cider, cloudberry jam and mulberry leaves.

The sharing Bayou cocktail meanwhile, is inspired by the crocodile-filled marshy lakes found in America’s deep south and features Woodford Reserve Bourbon, absinthe treacle, yellow grapefruit, pepper and trompette de la mort (trumpets of death) mushrooms.

Forest

The rooftop of Selfridges has been turned into a pop-up forest-themed restaurant and bar as its latest incarnation for winter. Following on from last winter’s successful après ski-themed Le Chalet pop-up, Forest serves dishes inspired by Britain’s woodlands with a focus on foraged ingredients.

At the Cabin Bar, guests can get cosy in blanket-filled wooden lodges and drink festive cocktails including the Smokey & Sour, featuring whisky, rosemary, lemon juice, maple syrup and Laphroaig bitters; and the Fancy Nogg, a decadent twist on eggnog made with brandy, frangelico, cream, honey, hazelnut and nutmeg. Boozy hot chocolate is also in abundance.

Fogg’s Tavern 

Kings of the night Charlie Gilkes and Duncan Stirling have taken their Phileas Fogg concept a step further with the launch of Fogg’s Tavern in Covent Garden. The story goes that Fogg’s actress aunt Gertrude bequeathed him a pied-à-terre on St. Martin’s Lane in her will, which he allowed her housekeeper Fanny McGee to turn into a tavern for her thespian friends serving real ales, homemade pies, salted meats and grog in tankards, keeping the salon on the first floor to himself as a private gin parlour. Filled with theatrical props and ornate chandeliers, the parlour serves punch, “tipsy teas” and a plethora of gin cocktails.

Fogg’s Winter Botanical Garden 

Keeping with the Phileas Fogg theme, the terrace at his original abode in Mayfair has been turned into a winter garden decked out with fairy lights, tartan blankets, mistletoe, climbing plants and Christmas decorations. The candlelit space sill serve Hendrick’s cocktails including a selection of warm sharing cocktails served from Victorian teapots.

Mr Fogg’s Ice Breaker blends Hendrick’s, Isake Classic saké, St. Germain elderflower liqueur, apple cider, fresh lemon juice, honey and pear puree. The decadent sounding Toodle-Pip Hot Chocolate meanwhile, features Hendrick’s, Mozart Dark Chocolate liqueur, Briotett Crème de Menthe, double cream, espresso lungo and chocolate powder. Those in search of a stronger sip can try the Piste Off Down the Mountain, which blends Glenfiddich 18 year old, Jade Perique Tobacco liqueur, Crème de Cacao Dark and cinnamon syrup.

Wringer & Mangle 

There’s a bit of a trend for opening restaurants and bars in old launderettes at the moment. From Coin Laundry in Exmouth Market, which shines a light on the humble chicken Kiev, to newcomer Wringer & Mangle, a trendy new bar headed up by son of Salvatore, Gerry Calabrese, which shows the Collins cocktail some love. Fresh from the Hoxton Pony, Calabrese has set up shop a disused launderette in London Fields, where he serves a series of twists on classic cocktail the Collins, traditionally featuring gin, lemon, sugar and soda water.

Among those that have caught our eye are the Chairman’s Collins, which switches gin for Chairman’s Reserve rum, and the Fig Jam Collins, made with Woodford Reserve Bourbon, Disaronno, lemon juice, pistachio and orange syrup, and fig jam topped with ginger root, lime and honey soda. Smokers and gluttons for punishment can huddle up on the terrace warmed by a fire pit.

Once Upon a Wigwam

The roof terrace at the Queen of Hoxton has been turned into a winter wonderland dubbed “Once Upon a Wigwam”. As the name suggests, the rooftop action takes place in a giant wigwam inspired by the Grimms’ brothers fairy tales like Hansel & Gretel and Little Red Riding Hood. Guests venture up a winding staircase twisting with vine leaves and filled with books and are then asked walk through a keyhole-shaped entrance into the tent filled with meadow flowers and gnarly branches hanging with old clocks and red apples.

Cocktails tip their hat to the festive season and include an apple and gingerbread hot toddy, hot buttered rum and the Egg Snog, a secret twist on the classic. On the food front are chicken schnitzels, slow roast lamb shoulder stew and the curious sounding magic bean burger.

The Tree House at Skylounge

We love a festive-themed roof terrace at db, and the lovely people at Skylounge, the roof terrace bar at the DoubleTree Hilton in Tower Hill, have obliged with a pop-up tree house for the winter season. Hoping to evoke an enchanted woodland, the space includes trees filled with fairy lights and hot apple cider served in jam jars.

Among the winter warming cocktails on offer are the Plum & Rum Old Fashioned that twists on the classic with Chairman’s Reserve Rum, homemade plum purée and plum bitters; and the Treehouse Punch, made with Chairman’s Reserve Rum, thyme tea and lemon juice, topped up with apple cider. If you’re feeling peckish, you can chow down on truffle mac & cheese and spicy chicken nuggets with Bourbon dip.

Lodge d’Argent 

It’s that most wonderful time of the year, and to celebrate, City stalwart Coq d’Argent has launched its après ski-themed Lodge d’Argent for a third year running. With a winter white colour scheme, the Alpine space is filled with fairy lights, frosted ferns and faux snow. Guests can get cosy under fur blankets and enjoy wintry treats like venison burgers, raclette, Apline dry cured ham, black truffle tartifflette oozing with Reblochon, or the more virtuous sweet potato tartiflette laced with pancetta.

Those in search of something sweet can enjoy chestnut macaroons and bitter chocolate fondants with praline ice cream. Meanwhile, at the chalet bar, decorated with animal horns and vintage skis, you can sip on festive cocktails like the Alpine Sour, made with Hennessy Fine Cognac, apricot brandy, lemon juice, aromatic bitters and egg white.

South Pole Saloon

Rebel elves are running amok in Brixton at the South Pole Saloon. Housed on a rooftop, the festive pop-up offers an immersive drinking and dining experience complete with Hot Tennessee Toddy’s and Monkey Shoulder Apple Macs, beer from the Brooklyn Brewery and food from street food fiends like Dip & Flip, The Crust Conductor, Butchies and Papi’s Pickles. During a night at the Saloon, you may wander past the sugar plum fairy in the candy parlour, say hello to the snowman in his private lair and make mischief with the rebel elves. The pop-up will feature a photo booth and play host to a series of DJ sets.

The Bootlegger 

The City has a new speakeasy in the form of The Bootlgegger on Lime Street in Monument. Given it’s Prohibition-era theme, very little is known about it. The website keeps things on the QT via a cropped photo of Chicago mobster Al Capone. Our sleuths at db have found out that the stripped back bar will feature low-hung lights, vintage tills, black-and-white gangster portraits, classic cocktails in jam jars and live blues bands. If you want to find out more, you’ll have to pay it a visit, but don’t tell them we sent you…

The Gibson 

The Nightjar’s superstar head bartender Marian Beke has struck out and gone it alone with his debut solo venture, The Gibson on Old Street, which bills itself as a time machine transporting guests to the decadent days of the roaring twenties, or, winding the clock back even further, to the turn of the century when classic cocktail the Gibson was invented.

Made with gin and vermouth, the Gibson, which first appeared in a cocktail book written by William Boothby in 1908, is often garnished with a pickled onion. Beke twists on the classic at his bar with a Dry Gibson featuring Martini Riserva Ambrato and hazelnut, while the classic serve is made with Tanqueray, Noily Prat dry vermouth and a pickled olive.